Automatic can opener apparatus



March 26, 1968 J. E. BRIAR ETAL AUTOMATIC CAN OPENER APPARATUS 2Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed March 23, 1966 INVENTORfi (/0616 5 5/ /0/ FoszeflL/s/e 2/941:

H/f/J/J Ta/jge BY M 4 ATTORNS I... VIII a 3 /#1 Fi W 2 2 March 26, 1968J E. BRIAR ETAL AUTOMATIC CAN OPENER APPARATUS 2 SheetsSheet 2 FiledMarch 25, 1966 INVENTORS Jack 5. 5774/ Fsfefi L/s/e 72(96 Jr: flan/1y J.Eye

United States Patent 3,374,539 AUTOMATIC CAN OPENER APPARATUS Jack E.Briar, Mission, and Foster Lisle Talge, Jr., Overland Park, Kans., andHenry J. Talge, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to Dazey Products Company,Kansas City,

Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Mar. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 536,697 14Claims. (Cl. 30-4) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic electric canopener having an improved cutting wheel and supporting linkagestherefor, in which the wheel configuration prevents undue penetration ofthe cutting portion of the wheel into the lid of a can even under strongspring forces used to maintain the desired cutting relationship, and thelinkages are so arranged as to utilize the engagement between the cutterwheel and a can lid as a fulcrum facilitating positive automatic controlover operation of the drive motor responsive to the positioning of thecutting wheel and linkages and without damage or undue wear to the partsor danger to a user upon release of the wheel from one position toanother under strong spring forces as the lid being cut becomescompletely severed from the can.

This invention relates to improved mechanism for electrically operatedcan openers.

Automatic can openers for home use must be simple to operate andinexpensive. Traditionally, this type of can opener has been designed toutilize an operating bar for forcing the cutting blade into the lid of acan with the same bar then operating the electric switch for theapparatus with a slight further push. It has been necessary for theoperator of the can opener to manually provide this force and furtherpush, thus requiring his complete attention until the lid-removingprocess is completed and the can is removed from the apparatus.

There is a need for full-automatic operation in a can opener of thistype so that once the cutting process is initiated, the user may directhis attention elsewhere. Full automatic operation requires mechanismhaving at least three positions. The first of these positions is thereleased or standby position with the mechanism ready for the acceptanceof a can to be opened and with the electric motor for operating theapparatus de-energized. After a can to be opened is inserted into theapparatus, the cutting blade must be brought into a cutting positionwith respect to the lid and latched in that position with the electricmotor energized. After the lid is completely severed from the can theapparatus must be capable of shifting into a cut-completed positionwithin the electric motor de-energized.

In order to eliminate the need for constant hand pressure on theoperating bar, the mechanism must include a spring which is strongenough to force the cutting blade into and maintain the blade in alid-severing disposition at least until the lid is completely severedfrom the can. Thus, the operating bar which mounts the cutting blademust be used to cock the spring required to force the blade through thelid and then be latched in that position so that the spring willcontinue to exert force on the blade. It has been found that if theforce from the spring is not neutralized at the end of the cut, theforce from the spring will act through the blade which operates as afulcrum point to exert tension on the operating bar causing it to reactstrenuously when the latch is released to remove the opened can.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the instant invention to provideimproved control mechanism for an electrically operated can opener whichutilizes the unsevered 3,374,539 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 ice lid of a canbeing opened as a necessary part in the linkage holding the electricswitch closed so that, when the lid is completely severed from the can,the switch will open, thereby de-energizing the can opener.

As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is a primary aim of theinstant invention to provide such control mechanism having shiftablemeans mechanically linked to the switch and prevented only by anunsevered lid from shifting to a switch-opening position to the end thatthe switch will be opened unless an unsevered lid is present to preventthe shiftable means from shifting.

A very important object of the instant invention is to provide animproved rotary cutter blade for can openers and the like which carriesmeans adapted to contact and be supported by a lid or other surfaceundergoing severance, causing the depth to which the blade pierces thesurface to be limited.

Another very important object of the instant invention is to provide anannular shoulder for such a blade having a smaller diameter than thecutting edge of the blade to the end that the shoulder will contact andbe supported by the surface being cut adjacent the line of cut.

A further important object of the instant invention is to shiftablymount such a blade in an electrically operated automatic can opener incombination with a spring for biasing the blade into cutting dispositionwith respect to the lid so that the electric switch controllingenergization of the can opener may be mechanically linked to the bladeand de-energize the apparatus when the lid is completely severed and thespring biases the blade into a cut-completed disposition.

Yet another important object of the instant invention is to provide anoperating bar for such a can opener to move the blade into contact withthe lid and then utilize the blade as a fulcrum for forcing the springagainst its action, causing the blade to be forced into the lid solelyby the force of the spring.

Still another important object of the instant invention is to provide alatch for such an operating bar to the end that the bar may be securedagainst movement under the influence of the spring through the fulcrumaction of the blade.

Another very important aim of this invention is to provide mechanism insuch a can opener for neutralizing the action of the blade biasingspring after the lid is cut through so that, when the operating bar isunlatched to remove an opened can, the bar will not be under tension.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an electrically operatedautomatic can opener embodying the improved mechanism of the instantinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, rear elevational view of the canopener apparatus with the decorative housing removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the can opener with the housingremoved;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the opposite side of thecan opener with the housing removed;

FIG. 5 is a detail view showing an unopened can in place at the start ofthe lid-removal process taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, detail view showing the cutter blade in the samecutting position as that shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 ofFIG. 2.

A cutting device in the nature of a can opener embodying the principlesof the instant invention is broadly designated by the numeral 10. Canopener 10 comprises a front Wall or support structure 12 having mountedthereon all of the operational mechanism of the can opener and adecorative housing 14 attached to structure 12 and entrated in FIGS. and6 fragment-arily. It is to be understood that can 22 has a lid 24 whichthe can opener is designed to completely sever at the peripheral edge 26thereof adjacent rim 20.

Wheel 18 is rigidly mounted on an elongated, rotatable drive shaft 28which is journalled through an aperture 30 in a boss 31 rigid withstructure 12. A driven gear 32 is rigid with shaft 28 at the rearmostend thereof. A gear train broadly designated by the numeral 34 connectsgear 32 with the drive shaft 36 of an electric motor 38 in aconventional manner sufiiciently so that wheel 18 is continuouslyrotated whenever motor 38 is energized. A stub shaft 40 is rigid withand extends rearwardly from structure 12. One end 42 of a lever arm 44has an opening 46 receiving shaft 40. A retainer 48 engages shaft 40 tomaintain arm 44 in pivotally mounting relationship to shaft 40. Meansbiasing arm 44 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 2) in thenature of a tension spring 50 has one end 52 thereof hooked around astub shaft 54.

A hook 56 at the opposite end of spring 50 is received through an eyelet58 in the opposite end 60 of arm 44. Boss 31 extends rearwardly fromstructure 12 into alignment with portion 62 of arm 44 during theclockwise swinging of the latter to present stop means for preventingfurther clockwise swinging of arm 44 after portion 62 comes intoengagement with boss 31. 7

An operating bar 64 disposed on the front side of structure 12 has ashaft 66 at one end 68 thereof. Shaft 66 extends re arwardly through avertically elongated slot 70 and is journalled through an aperture 72 inarm 44 for pivotal mounting thereon.

An electric switch 74 having a pair of contacts 76 and 78'is mounted onstructure 12. A pair of wires 80 (shown only partially in FIG. 2) areconnected to a source of electricity and the armature of motor 38respectively, the latter also being connected to the source ofelectricity in 'a manner Well known in the art such that whenevercontacts 76 and 78 are in contact, motor 38 will be energized. Contact76 is resilient and self-biasing toward the open position as shown insolid lines in FIG. 2. A mechanical link in'the nature of an elongated,rigid rod 82 has a lateral extension 84 proximal and underlying contact76. A hook 86 at the opposite end of rod 82 is engaged around shaft 66and held in place by a nut 88' threadably engaged with shaft 66 at therearmost extremity of the latter.

An angularly disposed shaft 90 extends forwardly and downwardly from bar64 and is rigid with the latter. Lid cutting means in the nature of acutter wheel or, rotary cutting blade 92 is rotatably carried by shaft90 and is held in place thereon by a keeper screw 94. Blade 92 has acontinuous peripheral cutting edge 96 disposed proximal to the uppermostportion of wheel 18 so that the rim 20 of a can 22 supported by wheel 18may be clamped tightly between blade 92 and wheel 18. Depth limitingmeans comprising an annular shoulder 98 having a smaller diameter thanedge 96 is mounted on blade 92 and extends transversely from the planeof edge 96.

A pair of parallel, spaced-apart ears 100 are rigid with r and extendrearwardly from structure 12. Releasable means in the nature of ashiftable latch element 102 is received between ears 100 and held inplace by a pivot pin 104. Element biasing means in the nature of acompression spring 106 is disposed between one end 108 of ele ment 102and structure 12 forcontinually urging element 102 in a counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 4, around pivot pin 104. A knob 110 isattached to element 102 at the opposite'end thereof'Kn'ob 110 has aforward- 4 7 1y extending tab 112 and a camming surface 114. Arearwardly extending wing 116 on operating bar 64 has an edge 118disposed to contact surface 114 for a purpose to be describedhereinafter.

OPERATION Referring to FIG. 1, the operating bar 64 of the can opener 10is shown in its released or standby position. The bar 64 is rotatedaround shaft 66 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 1) togive clearance for the insertion of a can 22 with the peripheral rim 20thereof disposed between support wheel 18 and blade 92. After can 22 hasbeen inserted, operating bar 64 is manually rotated in a clockwisedirection around shaft 66 as viewed in FIG. 1, until edge 96 of blade 92is forced against lid 24 of can 22, the latter being rigidly supportedby the cooperation between rim 20 of the can and wheel 18. As additionalforce is applied manually to operating bar 64 in a clockwise directionas viewed in FIG. 1, the edge 96 of blade 92 will pierce lid 24 at theperipheral edge 26 thereof until shoulder 98 comes into contact with lid24.

With the downward movement of blade 92 thus limited by the cooperationbetween shoulder 98 and lid 24, the shoulder 98 will act as a fulcrumpoint so that further clockwise movement of operating bar 64 (as 'viewedin FIG. 1) will result in an upward force being applied to shaft 66.This clockwise movement of operating bar 64 a is continued until edge118 of wing 116 on bar 64 contacts the camming surface 114 of element102,.the latter being forced in a clockwise direction, viewing FIG. 4,until it assumes the position shown by the dashed lines. At this time,edge 118 will clear surface 114. As soon as edge 118 has cleared thesurface 114, element 102 will be swung in a' counterclockwise direction(viewing FIG. 4) until tab 112 overlies wing 116. Thus, operating bar 64is prevented from swinging in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed inFIG. 1) until such time as element 102 is manually released fromengagement therewith.

As operating bar 64 is swung into latching relationship with element102, shaft 66 is moved upwardly because of the fulcrum action of theshoulder 98 in cooperation with the lid 24 of can 22. The upwardmovement of shaft 66 is allowed by slot 70 as can be seen .in'FIG.'7."The'upward movement of shaft 66 will cause arm 44 to be swung in acounterclockwise direction around stub shaft 40 and against the bias ofspring 50 (as viewed in FIG. 2), 7,

the upward movement of shaft 66 will also result in an upward movementof rod 82. The extension 84 of rod 82' underlies contact 76 of switch 74and the upward movement of rod 82 causes the contact 76 to be drawn intoengagement with contact 78, thereby closing the electrical circuit andcausing motor 38 to be energized. It is to be noted that so long asoperating bar 64 and arm 44 remain in the cutting position shown indashed lines of'FIG. 2 contact 76 will remain in engagement with contact78* and the electric motor 38 will remain energized. The energization ofmotor 38 causes shaft 36 to rotate. This rotation is transmitted throughgear train 34 and gear 32, resulting in the rotation of shaft 28 andwheel 18. Rim 20 is tightly clamped against the serrated wheel 18 andthe rotation of the latter causes the rotation of can 22.

Spring 50 continually urges arm 44 in a clockwise direc- 7 tion, viewingFIG. 2, thus causing a downward force to be exerted on bar 64v and blade92 through shaft 66. Thus, the blade 92 is continually forced againstlid 24 with the edge 96 piercing the lid, but with shoulder 98 resistingfurther downward movement of blade 92.

As can 22 .is revolved, edge 96 will continually sever the lid 24 atedge 26 thereof and during the severing operation, bar 64, arm- 44, andcontact 76 are held in the cut ting positions shown in dashed lines ofFIG. 2 by the cooperation between shoulder 98 and lid 24. After lid 24has been completely severed from the can, the lid will fall away andthus the support for shoulder 98 is no longer present. At this time,blade 92 will shift downwardly to assume the position shown in dashedlines of FIG. 6, and likewise, bar 64, arm 44 and contact 76 will shiftto the cut-completed position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2.

It is to be noted that if the releasable latch means 102 were to bereleased while the mechanism is in the cutting position illustrated bydashed lines in FIG. 2, spring 50, by urging shaft 66 downwardly, wouldcause the free end of bar 64 to be thrown upwardly because of thefulcrum action caused by the cooperation of shoulder 98 with lid 24.After lid 24 has been severed and the mechanism shifted to itscut-completed position, portion 62 of arm 44 comes to rest on boss 31and, therefore, further downward movement of shaft 66 is prevented. Inthis position, the forces acting on operating bar 64 are neutralized andwhen latch means 102 is moved in a clockwise direction, viewing FIG. 4,to release the operating bar 64 for the removal of the opened can 22,bar 64 will not be thrust upwardly.

It is to be noted that the novel structure of cutter blade 92, althoughparticularly useful for providing full automation of a can opener asdescribed above, is not necessarily limited to use in can openingapparatuses. Shoulder 98 has utility whenever the depth of a cut must belimited.

The instant invention provides control mechanism for an automatic canopener which utilizes the lid of a can being opened as a necessaryelement in the mechanical linkage holding the switch controllingenergization of the motor in a closed position. Thus, when the lid iscompletely severed, the necessary element is rendered inoperable and theswitch will open to de-energize the motor. The can opener embodying theprinciples of the instant invention includes mechanism having a powerfulspring for forcing the cutter blade through the lid of a can to beopened and having stop means whereby the forces exerted by the powerfulspring may be neutralized when the cut has been completed to therebyrelieve the forces acting on the operating bar.

Having disclosed an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is tobe understood that various modifications thereof could be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention. Accordingly, it is intendedthat the invention shall be deemed limited only by the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a can opener for severing the lid from a can:

a support structure;

means on the structure for supporting a can whose lid is to be severedtherefrom;

a lever arm pivotally mounted on the structure;

means biasing the arm for swinging'movement in one direction;

stop means on the structure for limiting swinging of the arm in said onedirection under the influence of said arm biasing means, whereby the armis normally held in a normal position by the arm biasing means;

an operating bar pivotally mounted on the arm and shiftable from arelease position into a cutting position and thence into a cut-completedposition;

lid cutting means on said bar engageable with the lid of a can to besevered when the bar is swung into its cutting position, said engagementof the cutting means with an unsevered lid presenting a fulcrum for thebar, whereby the arm is swung in an opposite direction and away from itsnormal position against the action of the arm biasing means and theforce of the latter is applied to the bar and the cutting means tomaintain the cutting means in engagement with the lid while the bar isin its cutting position, said can supporting means including drive meansfor shifting said cam and said cutting means relative to each other whenthe cutting means is in said cutting position thereof; and

releasable means for holding the bar against movement from its cuttingposition to its released position under the influence of said armbiasing means, said arm being arranged to move back into its normalposition as severance of the lid is completed and the bar moves into itscut-completed position under the influence of the arm biasing means,whereby the transmittal of excessive forces to the bar from the armbiasing means is prevented after completion of the lidsevering operationwhen the releasable means holding the bar is to be released.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said drive means includes arotatable drive element adapted for engaging the rim of a can whose lidis to be severed therefrom and for rotating the can as the element isrotated, and said drive means including an electric motor operablyconnected with the drive element for rotating the latter.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein is provided switch meanselectrically coupled with said motor for controlling energization of thelatter, and a mechanical link operably coupling said lever arm and saidswitch for actuating the latter only when said arm is swung in saidopposite direction and away from the normal position thereof.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said releasable means includes ashiftable latch element mounted on said structure for movement between apair of positions, and means yieldably biasing said element toward oneposition thereof and away from the other position thereof, said elementhaving a tab for engaging said bar and maintaining the latter in saidcutting position only when the element is in said one position.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein is provided means on the operatingbar and the latch element for shifting the latter to said other positionagainst the bias of said element biasing means as the bar is shiftedfrom said released position to said cutting position and then allowingthe element to return to said one position under the influence of saidelement biasing means only after said bar is in said cutting position.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said element shifting meansincludes an inclined camming surface on said element disposed forengagement by said bar as the latter is shifted from said releasedposition to said cutting position.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein said stop means includes a bossaligned for engagement with said arm as the latter is biased in said onedirection and for supporting the arm while the latter is in the normalposition thereof against further swinging under the influence of saidarm biasing means.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said arm biasing means includes atension spring sufliciently strong to force said lid cutting meansthrough an unsevered lid without substantial mechanical advantage.

9. In a can opener:

a support structure;

means on the structure for supporting a can to be opened and forrotating the same;

an electric motor operably connected with said cansupporting androtating means for actuating the latter;

switch means electrically coupled with said motor for controllingenergization of the latter;

a cutter wheel shiftably carried by the structure and adapted formovement to a first position for piercing the lid of a can supported bysaid supporting and rotating means, said wheel having a continuousperipheral edge adapted for continually severing the lid from the can asthe latter is rotated;

means for shifting said wheel to a second position inwardly of the canwith respect to said first position 7 when the lid has been completelysevered from the can;

means on the wheel adapted for cooperation with the lid of an individualcan being opened by contacting said lid adjacent the point of severanceof the lid by said edge for limiting the depth to which said edgepierces the lid and maintaining said wheel in the first position thereofduring severing of the lid and until the lid is completely severed, thenpermitting said wheel to move to said second position thereof; and

mechanism operably coupling said wheel and said switch for actuating thelatter only when said wheel is in the first position thereof.

10. The invention of claim 9, wherein said means on the wheel comprisesan annular shoulder coaxial with said edge and having a smaller diameterthan the edge, said shoulder extending transversely from the plane ofsaid edge.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein the plane of said edge isdisposed to intersect said lid at an acute angle.

12. The invention of claim 9, wherein said wheel shifting means includesmeans for yieldably biasing said wheel toward said second position andfor forcing the wheel through said lid in severing relationship thereto.

13. In a cutting device:

a support structure, means on the structure for supporting a memberpresenting a surface to be cut;

a rotary cutting blade having a peripheral, continuous cutting edgeadapted to engage and enter into said surface to be cut;

means shiftably mounting said blade for rotation about its axis and formovement toward and away from said surface;

means yieldably biasing said blade toward said surface,

and means carried by said blade and rotatable therewith adapted forcontacting said surface laterally adjacent the point of engagement ofsaid cutting edge with said surface for limiting the depth to which saidedge enters the surface, said member supporting means including drive;

means for moving the surface to be cut and the blade relative to eachother while they are interengaged, the blade being rotated by frictionalcontact between the surface and said edge and said depth limiting meansof the blade.

14. The invention of claim 13, wherein said depth limiting meanscomprises an annular shoulder on said wheel coaxial with and to one sideof said edge, said shoulder having a smaller diameter than said edge,the plane of said edge being disposed to intersect said surface at anacute angle when said shoulder is contacting said surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,135 7/1928 Cuyler 3091,795,478 3/1931 Davis 3015.5 2,186,668 1/1940 Curtis 30--8.5 3,018,5481/1962 Rogers et al. 304 2,994,953 8/1961 Aberer 30-4 3,078,568 2/1963McLean et a1. 30-4 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Examiner.

G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner.

